Burning Love
by whatitskaitlyn
Summary: Plot twist for the end of The Death Cure. Thomas stays with Teresa. Short story.


"Thomas, come on, we have to go!" Brenda shouted through the noise, grasping on to Thomas' hand to pull him away from Teresa.

"Thomas!" Came Minho's voice.

"Thomas, move your feet!" Brenda.

"Thomas, I'm going to shucking chop your you-know-whats off if you don't move your shank ass!" Minho, of course.

But Thomas didn't process any of it. He heard it, but it went in through one ear, right out the other. Teresa was lying there under a burning pile of roof, her eyes too blurred to even focus on him. They were open, but not alert. But she was still alive, her dark pupils flicking from one place to another, struggling to keep her breath even. He thought it was only her arm, he thought-no. He could get her out. Yanking his hand away, not looking back at the tanned skin girl and his remaining best friend, he ran back over to the girl.

He then glanced over his shoulder a single time, watching Minho grab Brenda's hand, dragging her along and through the TransFlat against her will. At least Brenda was safe, Minho would take care of her.

"Teresa. Teresa!" He exclaimed, shielding his eyes when a separate piece of the roof fell, not so far from him.

Her breaths were so forced and loud that he could hear them, and even with her face plastered against the ground, unable to move because of how powerless she felt, she found enough energy to tug the corners of her lips upwards. "Tom.." she whispered, her finger moving to try and touch his hand that was on the ground to keep him up. Her eyes were watering, because it just hurt so much. She never felt so in pain, she was burning.

Thomas frantically examined her face, his eyes panicked and hands moving rapidly to try and figure out what to do. "I'm going to get you out, Teresa! You're three steps away from happiness in a world without this, I'm going to get you out!" His voice cracked at that last part. His eyes were burning from the sparks coming up from the flames, and he shielded his eyes as he stood up, taking a firm hold of the roof. He screamed as he used all of his strength to pull upwards on the roof restraining her. He tried a few times, but it was no use. It was too heavy for his scrawny arms. He looked towards his only way of escape, watching it slowly vanish. He took too long. There was no way out. He was trapped.

It was getting harder for her to breathe. The piece was pressing down on her lungs, and she was breathing in fumes. So was Thomas. He dropped down in defeat and laid down in front of her on his stomach, taking her small hands in his large, veiny ones. He looked sadly at the piece of roof, wanting nothing more than to take all the pain away. "My.. my eyes.. a..are down here.. sh..shank," she managed to get out. If Thomas wasn't so close, he never would've heard it.

His eyes welled up with tears, and he made a choked laughing noise, kissing her hands multiple times. "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry. I wish I would've gotten my memories back, I wish I would've.. Oh God, I'm so sorry, Teresa." Her fingers tightened around his hands, squeezing as hard as she possibly could.

Although her eyes weren't focused on him, they were on something else in the distance, a tear shed from them, dripping down her nose as she attempted to speak, using all of her energy for her last monologue. "We were fourteen.. fourteen when you and I first.. first kissed. It was my b..birthday, and you made me.. made me a paper bou..bouquet of flowers, since you couldn't g..go out and get the real deal." Tears were soaking her face at this point, her lower lip quivering. Thomas kept his lips on her hands, eventually resting his forehead on them and shaking his head. This couldn't be happening. "You.. gave them to me and.. gave me this long speech and..and you kissed me. I told you, Tom, we were.." And then, a final tear ran down her cheek. Her lower lip stopped quivering. Her eyes weren't focused, more dazed over and empty. Her body stopped moving with breaths. And finally, her fingers went limp around his hands. She stopped squeezing.

"Lovers," Thomas finished with a sob, letting it all out. He wailed for all of his lost friends. He cried and screamed for Chuck, for Newt, for Teresa, and for all of his other fallen gladers. He sobbed that he couldn't get Chuck home to his parents, he couldn't protect Newt, he couldn't tell Teresa how he never hated her, he just misunderstood.

So, gripping onto her gradually cooling hands, he shook, letting his body shut down, letting himself go. "I wish I could've bought you real flowers, Teresa Agnes," he whispered with his final wheezing breath.


End file.
